


King's Gambit

by AGL03



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Theory Fic, hidden agendas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 08:58:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7708897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGL03/pseuds/AGL03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just how far will the New DIrector go to earn his teams trust?</p>
            </blockquote>





	King's Gambit

I know I have a few prompts that have been sitting in my inbox but inspired this one and I just couldn’t wait to fic it. 

 

It had only been a few months since Jemma had accepted her promotion as Science Advisor to the New Director. After a long night spent with Fitz over multiple cups of tea hashing out if she should accept it. Eventually the pair coming to the conclusion that while they didn't trust him or his motives, it would be better for everyone if one of them were in trusted position. Both to get information and control what he knew. 

They had agreed that night that Fitz would appear more guarded at the Playground with her, selling the ruse to the Director. But what she hadn't counted on was the reaction from her other team mates. May had grown cold and silent with everyone as she processed her losses and nearly shut down completely after Daisy took off. Often reminding Jemma of those early days on the Bus where she was hardly seen or heard. While on the rare occasion Coulson and Mack were on the base between chasing leads they wouldn’t' share much. Spending most of their time in the lab with Fitz getting upgrades and often casting her questions with a suspicious eye. 

It was little things like that that made Jemma all the more grateful for the new townhouse Fitz had bought for them off base. A respite from tension, distrust, and intrigue at the Playground. A place they didn't have to be guarded and could just be themselves. 

Now Jemma sat on their couch snuggled into Fitz's arms as they shared a few boxes of Chinese food they'd picked up on their way home. And she couldn't stop the contented sigh she lets out as she snuggled deeper into his arms. "Long day?" he asked empathetically.

She nodded, "I knew some might frown upon my promotion but I never thought they would look at me like I'd betrayed them."  
Fitz kissed the top of her head. He'd had a hard time restraining himself when he'd hear the barbed comments or dark looks directed at her. "I know Love, I almost snapped at Coulson today when he said you were spending too much time with the Director and not enough helping to track Daisy down."

"In Coulson's book no one is ever doing enough to track Daisy down. Its doesn't help that the Director won't approve all of our resources and servers being on the search," Jemma said remembering that rather spectacular blow out between the two men. "But its not just me, I heard him snap at Mack too in the lounge for wanting to take the night off in order to spend time with Elena." 

"He's hurting," Fitz said in Coulson's defense. Knowing full well the desperation and agony that came with dwindling help and resources in the search for someone you cared about. "And its hard to trust someone from the outside, we've been through so much together and he's gone and upset the whole dynamic. Hunting down Daisy with a dead or alive attitude isn't doing him any favors."

Jemma hummed in agreement, still having her own reservations about the man, but part of her was enjoying operating in a more 'by the book' mode. 

Fitz adjusted behind her just enough so he could look her in the eye and kissed her tenderly. "No matter what anyone else thinks what you are doing is very brave and I am incredibly proud of you. They others will come around once we get Daisy safely back and we can reveal your efforts in the matter. Know whatever I do and say in the lab with him around is merely selling the ruse. I love you and trust you more than anyone else in my life. Nothing will ever change that." 

Jemma smiled and threw herself into the kiss, the empty containers falling forgotten on the floor. She missed being able to show him much affection during the day, their bunks gone and they couldn't slip away over a lunch hour to loose themselves in one another. Hands carding through his curls she moved to nuzzle his neck before playfully nipping at his ear. "I don't know what I would do without you," she said feeling his arms pull her closer.

"You'll never have to find out," he promised before capturing her lips once more. 

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

Jemma sat in the lab staring at the DNA of a male that had been seen with Daisy during one of Coulson's run ins with her in LA. The markers totally normal yet according to the men, his head had turned into a skull and lit on fire. She had been staring at the results for nearly twenty minutes now. Her stomach churning in worry as she looked over at Fitz's empty station. He'd been sent out with one of May's new strike teams to clean up a Watchdog Base they'd found. The terrorist group still benefitting from and using former Agent Blake's tinkering and research into nitromene. Fitz one of the few who was even qualified to handle the weapons he'd created. 

Jemma looked at the clock again, the team twenty minutes over due for check in, and Fitz at least not responding to her increasingly panicked messages. 

Unable to take it anymore she pushed away from her desk and shed her lab coat, intent on heading directly to the Directors office and get an update. She rounded into the hallway, May suddenly appearing from the direction of the training rooms, her face set in a cold tense mask. 

"What's happened?" Jemma demanded.

May's cold façade melting slightly at her worry, "I've lost contact with Agent Piper and my strike team," she said. "By the look on your face Fitz has been unresponsive as well." 

"I haven't heard from him since they left the Quin Jet," Jemma confirmed as they entered the office. Both women surprised to see Coulson there as well, shouting at the Director. 

"…..We have a solid lead! I need to take every agent at our disposal with the containment module and the Zephyr this time so she doesn't get away," Coulson finished hardly acknowledging the two women as they entered. 

"And I told you AGENT Coulson that we have another operation that is more pressing of our attention. You can have one of Agent May's strike team but no more. Agent Mackenzie is collecting Miss Rodriguez and we will be taking off. The Zephyr and other ops agents are required to-" the Director shot back.

Coulson threw a hand up and interrupted, "Agent Fitz has gotten out of far worse before. Give him time, he and the strike team will likely escape even before you can get there and in that time Daisy will have gotten away."

"Fitz," Jemma squeaked feeling May's hand on the small of her back in a small show of support. Both men regarding her with a bit of sadness in their eyes. The last time Coulson had done so was when he'd been trapped in the hanger bay with the Primatives. 

"I’m sorry Agent Simmons, Agent May, but Agent Fitz and the team have been captured. The base wasn't as abandoned it was a trap. Himself and the strike team are now their hostages, the group demanding we turn over five Inhuman's in return for their lives," The Director reported, sparing them the video he'd received. 

May's knuckle cracked at the prospect of losing yet another one of her proteges but Couslon spoke again. "Which is why a smaller strike team is in order to rescue them and I can take the larger group. Or give them the Inhuman's in a fake out-" Elena and Mack arriving in that moment and Elena muttering something darkly under her breath. 

The Director took a calming breath before he spoke again, giving Coulson the benefit of the doubt as he was still adjusting to his new position and his personal feelings about Miss Johnson. "Miss Rodriguez has agreed to use herself as bait to lure them out so our larger strike teams can move in and free the hostages. We are not giving her to them, I am not willing to sacrifice her or anyone else. Miss Johnson does not want our help right now and has turned it down on more than one occasion. The loyal Shield agents being held in that warehouse do want our help and I refuse to place the needs of one ahead of the many."

Silence reigned and Jemma felt a small wave of relief. Having watched the exchange fearful that Coulson would get his way, take the precious resources for Daisy and leave the others in the cold. It wouldn't have been the first time it had happened. 

Coulson looked sobered, "I'll take a strike team and the Quin Jet," he said.

"And I will send the Zephyr and others along after once we have rescued the hostages, better late than never" the Director added. Coulson nodded and left the office without so much as another word to collect the agents and move out before Daisy could run again. "Agent Simmons, if you wish you may accompany the team on the Zephry," he added as Mack, May, and Elena turned to leave. 

Jemma smiled gratefully and went with them, Mack offering her a comforting hug as the moved towards the hanger themselves. "Don't worry Jemma, we'll get him back," he assured. 

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

Hours later the Director sat in his darkened office watching the feeds from the cargo bay of the Zephyr, a figure shrouded in darkness on a video conference watching the feed from a secondary location. A lone, tiny figure pacing the bay and wringing her hands. Agent Simmons had been allowed on the Zephyr but not on the actual operation. 

The team had been successful and was now on their way back to the plane.

"Are you sure this was worth the money we put into setting it up?" his cohort asked, once again voicing his displeasure at the operation. 

The Director sighed hating that he had to keep explaining himself. "I told you, if you have any hope at getting them to work for us then we are going to need them to trust me. This was a major step in earning that. I read their files and they have been abducted twice in the past two years by Hydra. In both cases of previous Coulson chose to follow other targets rather than focus his efforts at getting them back. They were of course eventually rescued but Agent Fitz paid a heavy price to ensure her safety and Agent Simmons was tortured. I suspect even if she doesn't voice it Agent Simmons harbors at the very least some hard feelings on this matter."

"And the show with Agent Coulson?"

That brought a smile to his face. "Agent Coulson is desperate and incredibly easy to manipulate right now. He has quite the history of putting Miss Johnson ahead of his other agents, even been willing to sacrifice others and quite literally make a deal with a devil to get her back."

Now his colleague on the other end caught up. "You put that on full display," he said happily having watched the earlier exchange. "Not only did he seem unconcerned about the hostages but wanted to take the resources needed to rescue them. Even willing to place the Inhuman in danger if you will. I must stay it was brilliant. I take it the lead on Miss Johnson…"

"Completely fake, one of your men phoned in the sighting. Coulson is going to find nothing but an empty mechanics garage I doubt she has ever set foot in. Though, I made sure there would be some 'evidence' she was there," The director said now seeing the doors of the bay open and Agent Simmons freeze in place and wipe away tears. "This blow should serve to keep him focused on her and not my efforts here with the scientists."

There was no answer as now the team was returning. Many of the hostages being supported by their colleagues, including Agent Fitz being lead in by Agent Mackenzie. The Director had told the Watchdogs to pay the engineer some…extra attention and they did not disappoint judging by the visible blood and bruises. 

Agent Simmons nearly tackled him as she ran to him and wrapped him up in her arms, kissing his battered face before pulling him back into a hug. Agent Mackenzie hovering should Fitz need the support. The Director saw Fitz return her hug and say something he couldn’t hear. Simmons merely nodding before wrapping her arm around his back, and with Agent Mackenzie, lead him to the med bay for treatment. 

"I put her dear Leo before Miss Johnson," he said sitting back more pleased with himself than ever. "This show of solidarity and support should go a long way in building their trust in me and eroding theirs in Agent Coulson. Especially if I can continue to bait him as I did today. Once we have done that, we can look at bringing them in. AIM will benefit greatly from their talents."

End


End file.
